Home Building A Fishing Boat
One of the most popular uses for boats is for fishing. People sometimes look at the bewildering array of available boat types and are confused about what type is most useful for them. Hopefully this article will make you aware of the various types of fishing boats there are so you can do a good job going about picking the best design for you to build in your home workshop.
The first thing you have to decide is what type of water you’ll be fishing on. A suitable boat for small ponds and backwaters would not necessarily be the best choice for near coastal conditions where bigger seas might sneak up on you. Similarly a river fishing boat capable of handling wild whitewater might be a disappointing performer on larger, open lakes. A boat that will have to do double duty as a fishing and waterfowl hunting boat will be very different from a boat that will be doing double duty as a fishing and water skiing boat. Spend some time identifying the uses of your boat first – what kind of water, how fast, how many people – these are what will dictate the best type of boat for you to build.
If you primarily intend to fish in rivers, especially smaller, fast moving rivers, you’ll want a drift boat, that is one that is primarily intended to drift down rivers. There are two types of these, the Western style, sometimes called, McKenzie River drift boats, and Midwestern style drift boats less for canyon shooting in the mountainous West, and more for smaller rivers and streams common throughout the US. The Midwestern style can be rowed much faster and with more control than the Western types intended only for drifting downriver, where the oars are only used for keeping the boat pointed downriver.
If you intend to fish on lakes, bays and protected waters, you have a choice of quite a few designs. If you intend to both row and use moderate power, there are few better choices than a Carolina style dory. These easy-to-build boats get up and plane easily, carry lots of load, are quite stable and yet still may be rowed in a pinch.
If you want to go fast, under primarily engine power, and still plan to mostly fish in wide rivers, lakes, bays, etc., a semi-vee or full vee bottom power boat may be your best choice., These come from smaller – two passenger sizes, easily tailored behind a small car, all the way to big, 6
1000
or 8 passenger models that can also handle sea conditions. Another option for this kind of conditions is the Pacific power dory. These highly stable and efficient hulls can outperform commercially made fiberglass models and can be built for a fraction of what a new boat costs.
If you’d like a man-powered or small engine boat you can toss in the back of a pickup or on a car roof and head to a stream, lake, bay or bayou, consider one of the ultra-light boats with plans available. They come in various shapes, from prams and dories, to canoes and kayaks. Larger sea-kayaks are suitable for fishing and waterfowl hunting. Using modern materials some of these boats can weigh as little as 40 lbs so can be carried to the water with one hand.
Finally, if you want to use your boat to fish in the ocean, you’ll be faced with very different conditions than in protected waters so need to look for a boat designed for ocean conditions. Vee bottom Carolina dories, Pacific power dories, and vee bottom center console boats are all suitable for coastal conditions, and also will outperform heavier factory made boats and may be used with smaller, more economical engines.
For offshore conditions, very specialized craft are called for. Grand Banks dories are some of the most seaworthy boats ever designed. They’ll power through any weather, though they’re no speed demons, and can also be sailed. In 1876 (the USA’s 100th birthday year) an 18-foot open dory, named the Centennial was used on the first single-handed North Atlantic crossing from New York to England. Other candidates for home built offshore fishing boats include Hawaiian sampans, mullet skiffs, and larger vee bottom Carolina dories. Each has their pluses and minuses, depending on whether speed, economy, or a smooth ride is the more important characteristic.
By: Jeff Spira
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Jeff Spira is a naval architect, marine engineer, writer and historian offering custom design easy to build boat plans at the Spira International Easy To Build Boat Plans website. Learn about boat building including stitch and glue, download a free pdf ebook boat plan with illustrations, or watch Jeff’s boat building videos as featured on YouTube.
So you feel you’re ready to build your own small boat. With some standard hand tools and average ingenuity you can do it. You can start out with a simple jon boat or right on up to a cool sailboat, it’s easy with fully detailed plans. But be careful, once you start this rewarding hobby, it’s easy to get hooked.
What to you need to get started? Beyond the average hand tools you need some quality plans and of course, the time and money for the materials. If you want take the easy path, try a typical jon boat. This simple plywood boat can give you a quick, successful project to impress family and friends and get you on the lake right away.
What Material Should I Use?
From the earliest times, wood has been the boat builders friend. Many grades and types are offered, it’s cheap, and it floats. You could use metals or fiberglass however for the home built boat, wood is the most common choice.
If you’re new to boat building stay away from the expensive specialty woods, at least until you feel your projects are worth laying out some big bucks. Once you master some of the unique joinery then go for some of the “fancy wood” but at first keep it simple.
What Type Should I Start With?
Many boat designs can be best built with plywood. Both hulls and decks, the largest sections of your boat, work easier with ply-panels. Even if you choose one of the more traditional hull designs you can still save time with plywood frames.
Master boat builders of the past used many types of “skins” for the hull. The “chine” type resulted in a more or less smooth hull as boards are placed flush over the frames, joined tightly with oiled string packed into any remaining gaps and then painted over.
The “Viking” hull is where the planks are lapped over the preceding board, not flush but with a bevel planed into each plank for a tight fit. Iron nails or copper rivets fix each plank together at the lap.
Canoe builders sometimes use narrow strips of wood bent around the frames and glued to each other. This process can easily be used on any boat project with sharp curves. Once the glue has set the surface can be sanded to smooth flowing curves. Thin wood veneers can also be used this way, building up to the proper thickness.
With so many small wooden boat plans available, how do you decide? Enjoying your new boat doesn’t begin at the waterline. Planning and building a project can be a source of immense enjoyment, especially when family and friends see your “labor of love” gliding across the water with the watchful eye of every craftsman following it’s every turn.
D Dean Hall became hooked on building small boats and canoes and shares the obsession wherever possible. For the canoe lover, don’t miss wooden canoe plans or you’ll never forgive yourself. Trust me, I know.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D_Dean_Hall
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Have a great day!
